Child of Fire
by Kathryn1
Summary: Alexandra and Courtnie take a shortcut home from the mall and walk into the wildest adventure they could imagine!


### Child Of Fire

Courtnie and Alexandra looked out the mall doors and considered their options. The sun was just going down. Did they want to wait another 20 minutes for the bus, or walk the 15 minutes to the campus. While they were thinking, they heard a voice behind them "Hey Court. Long time no see!" Courtnie rolled her eyes. Her ex-boyfriend, Greg. He seemed to be everywhere since they had broken up. Funny, he had never been around when they were going out. Courtnie turned around. "Greg. . . .Hello," she said dryly.

"Hey, I didn't expect to see you at the mall." Greg drove Alex and Courtnie crazy. He always seemed to be there with one of his stupid stories about partying or drinking, or his favorite torture, the tales he spun about being a demon from hell. When they were talking about him, they called him "Asshole." He droned on, "Are you taking the bus, or are you walking?"

"The. . . bus?" Alex guessed. Maybe he was going to be macho and walk back to school. But her hopes were shattered. "Well then I guess we can sit together." Greg said.

"On second thought, we'll walk," Courtnie said grabbing Alex's wrist and walking off quickly. Greg followed them however. "Well then I'm going to walk you home. Someone needs to protect you!" Alex sighed. They were going to have to give up. Greg was going to follow them no matter what, out of some misguided feeling of chivalry.

They walked across the mall parking lot. "Hey, I know a shortcut," Courtnie said, pointing to the woods. "Come on, let's go!" They walked over to the edge of the woods, where there was a small footpath. As they walked along the path, the woods seemed very still, as if the trees were afraid. Alex was freaked out "Hey, it's really quiet here you guys."

Before anyone could answer, a bolt of reddish-orange light shot down in a clearing close to them. Greg yelled something and went crashing through the trees to check it out. Alex and Courtnie didn't see him, because they were running for the edge of the woods.

The next day, Alex and Courtnie were eating lunch and discussing the strange light in the woods. They decided to go back and check it out, because not only were they curious, but the had not heard from Greg all day, which in itself was odd. Alex looked at Courtnie and said "Do you have any more classes?"

"Nope. Why?" Courtnie asked.

"I want to go to the woods and check out the clearing where that light came down last night. I'm kind of worried. We haven't heard from Greg all day. Doesn't that strike you as a little odd?"

"Yeah. Peace and quiet. It's been great!"

"It's strange. I want to go take a look!" Alex said.

"Okay. I'm done eating, and practice isn't till four, your meeting isn't till three, I was just going to the library anyway. Let's go now!" Courtnie said. Alex looked at the floor where her laptop computer, Courtnie's guard bag, and both of their bookbags were. "Do we want to take all of our stuff?"

"Why not?" Alex said. "It was probably nothing, and we'll be right back."

Alex and Courtnie tracked through the woods to the clearing where the light had come down. There was no sign that anyone had been anywhere near by. However, there was a very strange circle in the middle of the clearing, an area where there was no leaves or sticks on the ground. It was very strange. "The truth is out there," Alex said in a spooky voice. Courtnie looked at her. "X-Files." Alex explained. The ground rumbled, as if a bus or large truck had gone by, but they were far from the road, so how? Alex kicked a piece of wood with her heel and it sailed into the circle, and sank into the ground, but neither of the girls noticed this. They were searching the surrounding woods looking for any sign of Greg. Alex ended up on the other side of the clearing from Courtnie, and looked at her. She stepped into the circle at the same time as Courtnie did. As they stepped into the dirt circle, they fell forward, and down as the ground seemed to give way. They fell down and down, screaming and landed on the ground, surrounded by blue and purple fuzzy trees.

"Shit!" Alex said as she sat up and was immediately dizzy with a head rush. She looked around, and reached over to rescue her computer and bag. "Courtnie, are you all right?" She asked of the prone figure lying on the ground.

"Head hurts . . . in pain," came the mumble.

"Okay then, you're fine," Alex said.

"Hey!" Courtnie tried to sit up, and got tangled in the flag bag still strapped to her back. She pulled the strap off in a huff and sat up. "Where are we? And why are the trees fuzzy?"

"Don't know. . .Give me a pole." Alex said.

"What the hell for?" Courtnie asked.

"Self defense?" Alex tried.

"Oy!" Courtnie exclaimed. Then she gave Alex one of the pole from her collection. Alex tried to wave it around like a quarterstaff. "You look ridiculous!" Courtnie said.

" 'Actually it's a buck and a quarter quarter staff, but I ain't telling him that!'" Alex quoted. "Asante Sana Squash . . ." She trailed off as she turned around and was face to face with a giant broom at the other end of the clearing. "Ahhguh!" She screamed.

"Aaah!" The broom seemed equally startled.

"Courtnie, there is a talking, walking broom over there!" Alex exclaimed. " I think I know what's going on here. I watched Fantasia the other night, and this is just a bad dream induced by the NyQuil I took for my cold. But the broom is talking to me instead of the Q," Alex began to babble incoherently. Courtnie decided that someone had to take control of this situation, and she ought to be it.

"Alex get a grip," Courtnie said. She grinned evilly. "Why don't you use the flag, Daffy?"

"Do I look like a freaking Power Ranger?" I have no idea how to use this!" Alex said.

"Umm. You're probably going to laugh. A lot. We just fell through a hole in the woods in our world and landed here in Narnia. Or wherever the heck we are. Narnia at least looked real, according to the books. But maybe you can help us. Where exactly are we, who are you, and who's in charge around here?" Courtnie fished around to see how far the broom thing trusted them.

The broom looked them over. "Well I might be able to answer some of you questions. I'm Broom. And this is not called Narnia, it's called the Whispering Woods. and Since the trees are making a clearing for you, you aren't evil. Why are you here?"

"Well if we knew that we wouldn't have a problem," Alex said. She winced inwardly. What a time for her sarcasm to come blazing in.

"Just a second," Courtnie said. She looked at Alex. "Sidebar!" She said. dragging her friend over to the other end of the clearing. "Look we are going to need help to get out of this one, and your smart ass remarks are not helping any, so if you can't be intelligent, then shut the hell up!" Alex looked contrite, and they walked back over to the broom. "Okay. Take us to the leader, or the person in charge, or whatever," she said to the broom.

"Well, I guess that would be Adora. Come-- Wait, you're not working for the Horde, are you?"

"The Who?" Alex asked. She looked at the broom. "Look we just fell out of the sky and we are a little shaken up, but I have no idea who the Horde is. We are just lost. And a little confused."

"Well, maybe someone in camp will have an idea of what to do about you." The broom walked off. The girls looked at each other, Alex shrugged, and they followed the broom.

They came to a large clearing where there was a small encampment. The broom was greeted by a frumpy looking woman. "Broom, what did you find?"

Broom realized he had not asked the girls their names. He looked at them. "Well, I fond them in the woods, and they have an interesting story, I think Adora would be interested in.

"Hi, I'm Courtnie. This is Alex. Have we got a story for you!"

"Where are you from dearies?" asked the woman, "I'm Madame Razz, by the way."

"Well I'm from New York, Manhattan actually, and Courtnie is from Lake Placid." Alex said, knowing that those p[laces probably would mean nothing here.

"Hmm. I don't know where on Etheria either of those places are, but--"

"Etheria? Where is that?" Alex exclaimed. She thought of one of the science fiction novels she had read recently. Alternate dimensions. That was it, they had been pulled into an alternate dimension. It was kind of ironic that she wearing her International Federation of Trekkers shirt for this. However, she really wished she was not wearing her very short pleated skirt and heeled lace-up boots with black tights. Courtnie was a little better off in her black spandex dance tights, and sweatshirt. They were still waiting for a reaction to their last comment when a woman came out one of the nearby structures. She was tall and blonde, and had a very regal bearing. She wars wearing what looked like a red leotard over a white turtleneck, and heeled knee-high boots. Alex felt a lot better. The woman looked at them "Who are you?" She asked.

Courtnie and Alex exchanged a glance, and Courtnie spoke. "Well, are you the head honcho here?" she asked.

"Head. . . Honcho?" Adora was confused. "I am Adora, the leader of this little rebellion."

Alexandra's ears seemed to perk up at this. "Rebellion?" She asked. "Against who, Emperor Palpatine?"

Courtnie gave Alex a dirty look. "I don't think so, Alex. This is not some stupid role-playing game. This is for real." Courtnie turned to address Adora. " i'm Courtnie. this is Alexandra. Who are you against?"

Adora looked at her strangely. "You've never heard of the evil Horde?" She asked. "Where are you from?"

Alex knew the answer to that one. "Earth?" this garnered another look from Adora. Adora knew hew mother was from Earth, but she had never heard of anyone from Earth acting like these two. It was all very strange. "I think we need to have a discussion. Come with me." Adora led them to one of the small hut-like structures. As they ducked inside, they blinked to adjust to the lack of light. There were two more people seated at a table in the middle. One was another woman with purple hair, and the other was a man with brown hair and a psychedelic outfit. Alex decided in her mind that psychedelic was the word to describe this Etheria place. She began to be aware of a strange sensation in her fingers, as if they had fallen asleep and were just waking up. Adora introduced them. The man was Bow and the purple haired girl was Glimmer. They were invited to sit down and tell their story. Alex told them how they had been walking through the wood, seen the light, lost Greg, come back, fallen into the purple woods, and met the broom who had brought them here. "So that's our story. I know it sounds really strange, right? Now where are we, and what's going on?"

The three rebels, however, were not fazed. On the other hand, they looked distressed. "Shadow Weaver" Glimmer said.

"Who?" Alex asked. She was extremely curious about this place. Something was tugging at her brain. She promptly shut it up. however, guessing that it was probably that the stereo in their room was still on or some such piddling thing.

"Shadow Weaver is a very powerful, very evil sorceress who works for the Horde. The Horde is trying to take over the planet and enslave it." Adora explained. "We are trying to convince the planet to stand up to the Horde."

"Okay. But how do you explain us?" Courtnie asked. "I mean how does that concern us and being here?"

Glimmer picked up where Adora had left off. "Shadow Weaver must have been experimenting with dimensional travel. You probably fond one of the portals she opened and fell through. But you're here now, and that's what matters."

"So now we're here, What do we--" Courtnie was interrupted by a large furry owlish bird flying in.

"What is it Kowl?" Bow asked.

"Adora, the Horde is attacking the village!" Apparently the bird was named Kowl.

"I'm sorry. We seem to have work to do. Explanations will have to wait." Adora was already halfway to her horse, and the girls followed her.

"Lets go with them I want to see this Horde thing in action. I mean it can't be worse than Microsoft!" Alex said. She grabbed an aluminum pole out of the bag. "You know Karate, and I . . . can spin this thing. Maybe we can help."

Bow overheard the girls Come on, one of you can ride with me and one can ride with Glimmer. Leave your other things here."

They arrived in the village. There were huge robots crashing around, some very weird looking people, and really freaky guy with a white face and blue lips. Bow jumped off his horse and into the fray. Alex looked at Courtnie. "'We ought to have shotguns for this shit,'" she said, quoting. "Let's go!" She ran into the fight doing a Han Solo "YEAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" and brandishing the five foot aluminum pole. Lasers flew from the Troopers weapons, which looked like stun wands.

Courtnie realized that hand to hand would not be of much help here. "Alex wait up!" She called as her friend jumped into the thick of the fight. She heard a thumping behind her and turned around to face a large robot trooper. She planted a kick in it's chest area, and began to pummel it.

Alex had lost sight of Courtnie, having basically ran into the thick of things. She bashed one of the robots in the head with the pole, but was immediately double-teamed by two more robots. She tried for a trip, but the robots managed to pull the pole out of her hands and fling it away. She looked around and realized she had been backed into a corner, and looked for a means of escape. She could feel her hands buzzing like anything. She looked at them and realized they were glowing. The troopers noticed too, and became distracted. Alex pointed at one of them, and a bolt of flame shot from her finger and slammed into the trooper. "Cool!" She thought. She splayed her hand, and the flame grew wider, and the trooper began to spark, The sparks jumped to his buddy, and Alex took cover as both the robots exploded. Alex decided cover would be a good thing, and she watched for anyone else to hit. She saw a woman kick one of the troopers over. She seemed to be extremely strong, and wielded a broadsword. Alex admired her abilities, and heard someone mention the name "She-Ra." Alex guessed that must be the superwoman's name. Alex looked again at what She-Ra was now fighting. It was a strange creature with coal black skin that seemed to shine like it was polished, and beady red eyes that seemed to glow. Alex was startled as she realized that other than the obvious differences it looked a lot like GREG? She was distracted by a large cat coming at her. She screamed and shot fire at it. It yowled and ran away. Alex breathed a sigh if relief and watched as the rebels routed the Horde troops. Alex helped, short circuiting a few more with her new mutant Phoenix power. She became aware of the crowd she had drawn. "Hey Courtnie, look at this!" She said. She looked around, but Courtnie was nowhere to be found. "Hey, where's Courtnie?"

Everyone looked uncomfortable. Alex sensed bad news. Bow cleared his throat. "Unfortunately, Courtnie was taken prisoner along with several others."

"Eeep. So how do we break them out?" Alex asked. There was gentle laughter. Pity laughter. "You don't," came a voice from the crowd.

"You have other worries," came a new voice. The crowd parted to let the She-Ra person through.

Alex had to stop and think about that one for a moment. "Huh? Oh, you meant the Phoenix thing. Hey, I do not know where that came from. I truly don't, it just . . .happened," she finished lamely. "I never could do that till I came here." She- Ra did not seem to be listening. Alex went on. "Do you know what's going on?"

"Unfortunately, no. But I do know someone that might. Will you come with me?" She-Ra asked.

"Anything to come up with an answer to this whole deal," Alex responded. "Lead on.

She-Ra led Alex over to her flying unicorn. Alex did a double take when the horse started conversing with She-Ra. She- Ra cupped her hands, and Alex took the cue to mount the horse. She-Ra got on in front of her, and the horse took off.

Alex fought wave after wave of vertigo as they climbed higher and higher. The flew over some fields and seemed to be headed for a mountain range. There was one peak that was higher than all the rest, and they headed straight for it. As they reached the top of the mountain, Alex caught sight of a castle. The horse landed on a flat area, and She-Ra led Alex into the castle. They went to a large chamber, where a shimmering being of pure light illuminated the room. Alex just stared as She-Ra addressed it as Light Hope. She told it what had happened, and introduced him to Alex. Alex felt uncomfortable. Before She-Ra could finish explaining, Light hope cut in. "Alexandra, come closer." She walked up to the light, mesmerized. "I am Light Hope, guardian of Crystal Castle. "Maybe you can help me. I got dropped here, with my friend Courtnie, who is now captured or some such thing. We were looking for a friend of hers, who I kind of found, but boy he spent too much time in the sun. Oh yeah, I found out I can shoot fireballs and stuff out of me. And She-Ra brought me here." She turned to point at her, but She-Ra had disappeared. "Hey, where'd she go?" Alex got the distinct feeling that Light Hope was looking at her, even though it had no visible eyes. It was incredibly freaky.

After a time, Light Hope spoke again. "Alexandra, how long have you known this . . . Greg?"

Alex got the feeling she was being tested. "Well, all my life, actually. I met him when our parents took us to the same play group. We were both adopted, and so since our parents became friends and lived on the same block, we were friends, and went to school together."

"Alexandra, do you remember your birth parents?" The questions continued.

"Nope. They didn't love me enough to want me, and so I want nothing to do with them." Alex was bitter on this subject. She actually really wanted to find her birth parents, to bitch them out, but Alex didn't think Light Hope would really be interested in her feelings.

Light Hope actually seemed satisfied. "You have no memories of your true past but that is no matter. You will remember all someday. For now I will tell you of your true self, Alexandra, but that is not your true name. Your birth parents were not of the planet you came from, they were two of the most powerful sorcerers on Etheria. They loved you very much, so much that when the Horde appeared in the sky, you were sent out of Etheria for your protection, lest you fall into the Horde. The one you know as Greg is also of Etherian origin. He, however was a very powerful demon, a greater threat than the Horde. When Hordak began persecuting Etheria, your parents sent him out before Hordak could persuade the demon to join him. You were ostensibly sent to be the demon's guardian, but were really sent for your own protection. Hordak and Shadow Weaver have managed to call the demon back, and when he was called an awakened spell that was put on you was activated and you were pulled into Etheria to deal with it. You have the power within you to defeat him, and it will surface in time, now that you are on Etheria. You grew up under the care of your adoptive parents, but you have now come home."

Alex was dumbfounded. This was beyond anything she could have even imagined. It was just too strange. "Okay, question time. Why do they need me if they have this She-Ra person, who by the way is like my ride and has such disappeared. How does Courtnie fit into all of this?"

"It is of no concern, She-Ra has other matters to attend to. Courtnie was brought here by with you, it was a mistake. She may make her own choice where she will stay. You are needed because as the child of you parents, you have a power inside of you that can defect this demon. The fire ability is only one of many possibilities. More may manifest, it is yet to be seen. Since your powers have lain dormant for so long it remains to be seen how and when they appear."

Alex was struck by another thought. "Okay. It's obvious I don't really get a choice here, I stay no matter what. I think I would anyway. And I know Greg wouldn't be able to go back, but won't this screw up our lives there? I really love my adoptive parents and don't want them to worry."

"It is of no concern to you right now, your first task is to defeat the demon. Then you can ponder these questions. I will send you back to the Whispering Woods. When you are finished, I will send She-Ra to bring you and Courtnie back here, to decide. Farewell and luck be with you, Starfire." With that Alex felt herself caught up in a glow that seemed to penetrate her to her core.

When the Glow faded, she was at the edge of the woods. She saw a small path and followed it. As she walked she thought about what Light Hope had told her. He reminded her of Yoda in a way, but he spoke better English. Presently she came to the Rebel encampment.

Glimmer was sitting on the ground outside, meditating, when Alexandra appeared at the edge of the clearing. She had a strange look about her. Glimmer was reminded of how Adora had looked when her brother Adam had rescued her from Hordak and brought her back from the Fright Zone, disenchanted. The haunted look, Glimmer decided. She walked over and put an arm around Alex. "Are you all right? Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really, but I guess I kind of have to," Alex thought no on would believe the strange story. Glimmer led he to Adora who listened to her as she told everything. Except the Starfire part. it was a goofy name and she thought she could come up with a better one. Jean Grey sounded good, as did Phoenix or Wildfire. at the end she asked "What about Courtnie?"

Adora looked at her. "We have spies. Your friend was taken to the Fright Zone, Hordak's lair. Getting her out of there will be tricky."

"I'll go alone if I have to. Actually, I'd prefer it, but if you want to, you can come. I'm going no matter what." Alex thought for a second. "However, I will need to where this Fright Zone place is and where Courtnie is and how to get there and all kinds of stuff like that."

Adora and Glimmer, joined by Bow began to help Alexandra make plans. Alex wanted to pull a full frontal assault, but that was downed by everyone else. They decided to sneak into a back entrance that Adora knew of, and that Alex would sneak around alone, for less chance of detection. The others would wait outside, and wait a specified time before deciding if they would come and help Alex. Alex was happy, and nervous. She would have to rely on her new powers to get through this thing, and what if she ran into this demon thing? What did she have that was so special that would defeat him? Adora told her of what she would find in the Fright Zone. It sounded like some bad Dungeons and Dragons adventure. When they were done planning, Alex said "Well when do we leave?"

"It would be best for you to get some rest before you try to go in there," Adora said. "We'll leave you alone now, and wake you tonight."

Everyone cleared out and Alex was alone with her thoughts. She went over and got her CD player out and put in her Lion King CD. As she listened to the instrumental music, she let her mind wander, trying to conjure up any images of her past here. As she relaxed, she saw an image of a woman with startlingly red hair, and extremely pale skin. The mother concept floated into her head, and she thought this must be her mother. She wondered if her parents had been killed by the Horde or if they were hiding somewhere, waiting for her return. Alex drifted off somewhere in the middle of "King Of Pride Rock" and dreamed.

A ghostly figure in strange red robes appeared. Alex heard a sinister female voice. "Little Starfire has come home. She will be ours, along with her demon pet." Alex sat up sweating. She thought about the dream and wondered if the ability to dream true was part of her power as well. At this point she vehemently hoped not. As she blinked, she realized it was nighttime, and that she had drained the batteries on her player. Adora came into the tent. "Well, good morning. Are you ready to go?"

"Sure, just let me get some caffeine in me." Alex put her CD player away and found the can of Mountain Dew she had stashed. It was warm, but it was caffeine. She downed the whole can in under two minutes and burped. She quickly braided hair into two french pigtails, and looked at Adora. "All right, let's go."

Bow and Glimmer met them outside. Glimmer helped Alex up onto her horse, Adora and Bow had already mounted theirs. They rode off into the night.

As the approached the Fright Zone, Alex couldn't believe how the landscape changed. The light became darker and darker, and the trees scragglier. A huge fortress appeared on the horizon. Alex tried not to feel intimidated, but it was hard. She kept thinking of Jabba's Palace in the Star Wars movies, but shook off the thoughts. She needed to concentrate on getting Courtnie out of here, and back home to Earth. Alex shook out of her reverie as they cam to a stop. Adora pointed out the small service shaft that Alex would have to wriggle through, and gave her directions to the prison level.

Alex prayed she would remember it all as she ran across the small plain, ducking behind rocks and trees, in order to stay covered. She cam to the shaft. There was a small grate over it, and Alex pulled it off. It came off very easily, and Alex realized the screws were rusted away. She crawled into the shaft, and wriggled to the nearest outlet. She landed in a hallway, and recalled Adora's directions. She bolted through a maze of tunnels, corridors and overpasses, until she came to an area that looked like a medieval dungeon. There was one cell guarded by two of Hordak's robot troopers. "Must be Courtnie," Alex thought, and considered her options. She thought she should short them both out with one shot, but there was no guarantee there weren't reinforcements right around the corner. However, her only other option was to run in and try to physically beat the hell out of them, but that was what got Courtnie into this mess. Alex charged her hands, and looked down the corridor. She wondered if she had any other powers, but she needed something she could count on, and the fire would short the wiring. She took careful aim and shot. The flames caught the front trooper right in the head and sparks cascaded down as his partner turned, and got one shot off on the stun prod before the sparks jumped and both robots were melted into a pile of slag on the ground. Alex ran over to let Courtnie out, and watched as the sparks caught the wood door on fire. Alex was in a hurry, so she shot the door to help it along. In a few seconds, the door was a pile of ashes and the smoke cleared to reveal a very shocked Courtnie. "How the hell did you do that?" She asked.

"I'll explain the whole thing later. Right now, we have to get out of here. Come on!" She grabbed Courtnie and took off in the direction they had come. As they ran, Alex heard footsteps behind them. She pulled Courtnie along, and the turned a corner. There, blocking their path was Hordak and the Greg-demon. Hordak laughed at them. He looked them over. "So young," he snarled. "Yet so powerful, so full of potential. if you were to join the Horde--"

Alex cut him off, and shouted over Courtnie's confused "huh wha?" sounds. "Okay Emperor Palpatine, if I only knew the power of the Dark Side, blah blah blah. You fucking wish. if you want to continue quoting good movies 'Do I have to get medieval on your ass?'" With this, Alex shot a bolt of flame at Hordak. It dissipated partway there. "Oops." Alex said.

Hordak laughed at her. "You poor thing," he said. "maybe you'd like to talk with your friend?" He laughed at them, and said something quietly to the demon, and disappeared. Alex and Courtnie were alone with what was once Greg. Alex thought about what to do. "Greg are you in there?"

The being didn't answer. It leaped at them. "Duck!" Alex yelled, looking for cover. She found it and shot a fireball at the demon. It hit him squarely in the chest, but didn't seem to do anything. Courtnie looked her. "What the hell is that?"

"You're not gonna believe this, but you know how Greg gets his kicks telling us he's a demon?" Courtnie nodded. "It's truer than any of us could have thought possible. That's Greg!" She yelled. She saw the demon bearing down on her and screamed. She jumped out of her hiding place as the Greg-demon brought his foot crashing down on top of it. She shot him again as he turned around to face her. She could hear Courtnie screaming in the background, but tuned it out. She remembered Light Hope's words "You have the power within you." She realized that she had better find it quick, or her and Courtnie would be so much paste on the floor. The creature was bearing down on her and she closed her eyes. She could feel something deep within her. She reached for it, grasping, she reached deeper inside herself. . .

Courtnie watched as her friend battled the monster. "You idiot this is no Dgame this is real!" Was it real? Courtnie was very confused. In the space of five minutes she had seen Alex burn a door and shoot fire from her fingertips. She watched now as Alex began to glow. It began as a small light in her midsection and grew. In about five seconds, Alex's entire body seemed to be one mass glow. Courtnie watched as the glow began to float toward the demon-thing, which stared, confused, at the glowing form.

Alex felt herself rise off the floor. She looked at Courtnie first, then Greg, with a new confidence. She fought in herself to separate the glow from her, and watched as she fell to the floor, the glow remained in the air. She reached out with her hands and directed the glow to Greg. It enveloped him, and paralyzed him. Alex wasn't sure how she did it, but Courtnie knew what to do while he was immobile. "Come on, let's get out of here!" She yelled, grabbing Alex by the wrist. Alex came out of her trance, and they took off running. Alex looked up. There was the shaft she had climbed out of. It was about a foot out of her reach. Meanwhile, the glow had faded from the black demon, and he came after them. Alex looked as the form came crashing toward them. Alex cupped her hands, and boosted Courtnie up to the shaft. courtnie reached down to pull Alex up, nut the demon got there first. "Do that glow thing again!" Courtnie suggested.

"I don't know how!" Alex called desperately as she ducked, avoiding the huge hands trying to claw her. She shot a beam of energy at it. "Where did that come from?" she cried. It stunned the creature long enough for her to clamber up into the shaft with Courtnie's help. Alex led them to the grate she had entered through, and they emerged. Alex and Courtnie shot across the plain to where Bow, Glimmer and Adora were waiting. "I got her, let's get out of here!" Alex yelled. They jumped onto horseback and rode off.

Inside the Fright Zone, Hordak was livid. "Shadow Weaver, what did that little brat do to my new pet?" He had seen what Alex had done, and was not impressed.

"She has no control over her power, She is of no concern. She has not done permanent harm, she is not strong enough to be a threat. Yet." The sorceress tried to placate Hordak.

Hordak thought for a time. "She must be brought to ne. She will stay with the Rebels, and when we capture them we will have her and Adora back!" His mood lifted at the thought.

Alex and Courtnie arrived back at the Rebel encampment, with their new friends. Alex looked around. "That was fun."

Courtnie looked at her. "Okay, X-woman. Explanation time. What was that?"

Alex looked at Courtnie. "Let's go in here. We need to talk." She led Courtnie into the nearby tent. They sat down and told Courtnie everything that Light Hope had told her. Courtnie looked at her, first disbelivingly, then with acceptance. "So, I am staying, since I guess I am supposed to beat that demon thing, but You have a choice. Light Hope is supposed to send this She- Ra person after us. I don't know how he'll know, but I get the feeling he's omnipotent. He's kind of like Yoda. You'll like him." Alex was trying to make the situation humorous. Courtnie was not amused.

"How are you going to close up your other life?" She asked. "You have parents, friends, school a life. Can you really just leave it all for this?"

"These people need help. You saw what they were up against. And now with that thing that used to be Greg, they need me. I am supposedly the one who can defeat this thing. I have to stay it's your choice.

Courtnie looked at her. "You know, it's kind of pretty here, in a psychedelic sort of way. I could get used to living here. One question. Is everyone here some sort of X-Man with weird power?"

"Not sure. I don't think the leader, that Adora person, has any neat powers, unless she's psionic. Bow's only neat trick is the Robin Hood ability with the bow. Duh. No I don't think it's a requirement."

"Okay. You know, I did date him once. I think I could get through to him somehow. Is this place like Narnia, where you can stay as long as you want and time doesn't move in our world?"

"I don't think so." Alex answered. "Let's go. I think that this person will come for us." They went outside, and She-Ra was waiting for them. "I take it you've come here looking for us?"

"Yes. I am to take you." She said.

"Both of us?"

"Yes."

Courtnie looked at Alex. "Where are we going, and how are we going to get there?"

"Swift Wind will take you both. I am to wait here. " The flying unicorn came close to the girls. "Get on, I will take you," it said.

Alex jumped on. Courtnie shook her head, and got on behind Alex. The horse took off and Flew them toward the same mountain that Alex remembered. They arrived, and Alex could fell Courtnie start to breathe again. They went into the castle, and Alex managed to find her way to Light Hope's chamber. "Uhh?" She asked.

"You have returned. Welcome," the light rumbled. Courtnie gasped, and Alex looked at the light. "I couldn't kill him or turn him back. I need to learn how to do all this neat stuff," Alex explained. "Courtnie wants to stay too, but we have lives to close out in the other world. Can you help us?"

Light Hope did not answer, and Alex got that peculiar looked at feeling again. "It will be taken care of. You will stay with the Rebels, Starfire, and learn your powers. Courtnie will also be an asset someday, and must find her own path. I wish you both the best of luck. Return now with Swift Wind, and prepare yourselves, for Hordak already desires your powers, Starfire, and Courtnie because she is an outworlder."

"Okay. Thank You," Alex said.

"What if I change my mind?" Courtnie asked. "Do I have that option?"

"You may, if the time is right."

"Okay," Courtnie said. "Let's go."

They went back outside, to where Swift Wind was waiting. He flew them back to the Whispering Woods where everyone was waiting, and a new face, a brunette woman who radiated power and grace. Glimmer introduced her. "This is Castaspella. She is here to help you learn how to use your powers." Great. A tutor. She-Ra took her leave then, and left the rebels. "Where's Adora?" Alex asked. Just then, Adora appeared in the clearing. "Welcome back," she said. "Will you be staying?"

"Yes. Both of us." Alex said.

And it was only the beginning. . . .

The End Of This Part . . .

Copyright 1996 by me, Kathryn.. No part of this may be reproduced without my permission, and everyone except Courtnie and Alex are the property of either Mattel or Filmation, but don't sue me I am not making any money, just having some fun. And yes, some of the lines ae not mine, you should know where they are from If you don't a) What cave do you llive in????????? and b) Pulp Fiction, The Lion King, Star Wars, Power Rangers, Bugs Bunny, X-Men and C.S. Lewis. That should cover it. Just covering my butt!!!!:) 


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